There are many Emendations inight be made which efcap'd them both; in the famous and excellent Tragedy of Othello not a few, for Inftance one, when Othello comes in to murder Defdemona, he. thinks if he should fee her, it would be impoffible for him to do it, so he says to himself Put out the Light, and then, put out the Light. Thus it is printed and spoke, even by Mr. Quin himfelf, with the Accent ftrong upon the Word the, which would seemingly intimate, that he meant first to put out the Candle, and then murder her, calling her the Light, whereas it should be pointed thus, Put out the Light, and then-Put out the Light! That is, as to fay, put out the Light, and thenbut before he can fpeak the Words kill her, he exclaims to himself-Put out the Light! that raises Terror and Horror in him, fo that he in a Manner expoftulates with himself about it, and thus the Senfe is clear, only by the Alteration of the Stops. To speak our Sentiments freely, we do not believe that any Body will acquire much Fame in meddling with Shakespear, nor have I noted that Mr. Pope valued himself upon it enough to mention it once in any Letter, Poem, or other Work whatsoever, except the Preface, which he fays is his; but about the Amendments, &c. he says nothing at all: Nay, as to his other Works, he feems to be far from thinking them fafe as to their Fame; thus he speaks to the World. "In this Office of collecting my Pieces, I am "altogether uncertain, whether to look upon my"felf as a Man building a Monument, or burying "the Dead? If Time fhall make it the former, may these "Poems .. "Poems (as long as they laft) remain as a Testimo66 ny, that their Author never made his Talents fub"fervient to the mean and unworthy Ends of Party "or Self-intereft; the Gratification of publick Pre"judices, or private Paffions; the Flattery of the "Undeferving, or the Infult of the Unfortunate. "If I have written well, let it be confidered that " 'tis what no Man can do without good Senfe, a 64 Quality that not only renders one capable of be"ing a good Writer, but a good Man. And if I "have made any Acquifition in the Opinion of any "one under the Notion of the former, let it be con"tinued to me under no other Title than that of the latter. 66 "But if this Publication be only a more folemn "Funeral of my Remains, I defire it may be known "that I die in Charity, and in my Senses; without << any Murmurs against the Juftice of this Age, or "any mad Appeals to Pofterity. I declare I fhall "think the World in the right, and quietly submit "to every Truth which Time fhall discover to the Prejudice of thefe Writings; not so much as "wishing fo irrational a Thing, as that every Body "should be deceiv'd, meerly for my Credit. How"ever, I defire it may then be confidered, that "there are very few Things in this Collection which "were not written under the Age of five and twenty; fo that my Youth may be made (as it never "fails to be in Executions) a Cafe of Compaffion. "That I was never fo concern'd about my Works "as to vindicate them in Print, believing if any "Thing was good it would defend itself, and what << waş bad could never be defended. That I used "no Artifice to raise or continue a Reputation, de"preciated no dead Author I was obliged to, brib❜ð "no living one with unjust Praife, infulted no Ad "versary verfary with ill Language, or when I could not "attack a Rival's Works, encouraged Reports a"gainst his Morals To conclude, if this Volume "perish, let it ferve as a Warning to the Criticks, "not to take too much Pains for the future to de"ftroy fuch Things as will die of themselves; and "a Memento mori to fome of my vain Cotemporaries "the Poets, to teach them that when real Merit is "wanting, it avails nothing to have been encourag'd "by the Great, commended by the Eminent, and "favour'd by the Publick in general.” And now we beg Leave, it being in proper Course, to mention the feveral Epiftles" wrote by our Author, where he has treated different Subjects in an exceeding beautiful Manner; fome of them were wrote when he was very young, one to Mifs Blount when he was but 17 Years of Age, and another at the Coronation, about which hereafter we shall take Occafion to speak. ic On Mr. Cragg's being advanced to be Secretary of State, he wrote him a fhort complimental Epiftle, where, fpeaking of his Abilities and Virtue, he adds: All this thou wert; and being this before, Know Kings, and Fortune cannot make thee more. This Gentleman was one between whom and Mr. Pope there was an unlimited Freedom, and a Life-enduring Friendship. It may be seen how familiar they were, by a Letter which Mr. Secretary Cragg's wrote to Mr. Pope from Paris, dated September 29 1716. LAST Poft brought me the Favour of Let your ter of the 10th of Aug. O. S. It would be taking too much upon me to decide, that 'twas a witty one; I never pretend to more Judgment than VOL. II. с to to know what pleases me, and can affure you, it was a very agreeable one. The Proof I can give you of my Sincerity in this Opinion, is, that I hope and defire you would not stop at this, but continue more of them. I am in a Place where Pleasure is continually flowing. The Princes fet the Example, and the Subjects follow at a Distance. The Ladies are of all Parties, by which Means the Converfation of Men is much foftened and fafhioned from thofe blunt Difputes on Politicks, and rough Jefts, we are fo guilty of; while the Freedom of the Women takes away all Formality and Conftraint. I muftown, at the fame Time, these Beauties are too artificial for my Tafte; you have feen a French Picture, the Original is more painted, and fuch a Crust of Powder and Effence in their Hair, that you can fee no Difference between Black and Red. By difufing Stays, and indulging themselves at a Table, they are run out of all Shape; but as to that, they may give a good Reafon, they prefer Conveniency to Parade, and are by this Means as ready, as they are generally willing to be charitable. I am furpriz'd to find I have wrote fo much Scandal; I fancy I am either fetting up for a Wit, or imagine I muft write in this Stile to a Wit; I hope you'll prove a good natur'd one, and not only let me hear from you fometimes, but forgive the fmall "Encouragement you meet with. If you'll compleat your Favours, pray give my humble Services to Lords Warwick, St. John, and Harley. I have had my Hopes and Fears they would have abufed me before this Time; I am fure it is not my Business to meddle with a Neft of Bees (I fpeak only of the Honey.) I won't trouble myfelf to finish finely, a true Com pliment pliment is better than a good one, and I can affure CRAGGS.. He died February the 16th, 1720, and was buried in Westminster-Abbey. The Epitaph upon his Monument was wrote by Mr. Pope. Statesman, yet Friend to Truth! of Soul fincere, In the Year 1715, at which Time Mr. Addifon intended to publifh his Book of Medals, Mr. Pope wrote him an Epistle on that Subject, which appears printed with them; it was long before Mr. Addison was Secretary of State, and while a great Show of Friendship was kept up by that Gentleman for our Author. This Epiftle points out the Usefulness of ftudying Medals, because they preferve the Memory of Things much longer than Arches, Temples, and Tombs, which vanish like the Living and the Dead, and foon in Comparison of Medals, lofe their fading Infcriptions and Statues: Mr. Pope's Thoughts are thefe. A Ambition figh'd: She found it vain to truft. Shore, Their Ruius ruin'd, and their Place no more! C 2 Con |